Neighbours at war: Woman in court over damaged cars alleges dog poo thrown onto property

The neighbour whose vehicles were damaged put up a 'Guilty' sign which faces the woman's property. Photo / Martin Hunter

A bitter 10-month neighbourhood dispute has led to an elderly woman facing the courts.

The 76-year-old was found guilty in the district court on Friday of wilful damage. It related to damage caused to a neighbour's vehicles. She was discharged without conviction in the judge-alone hearing and ordered to pay reparation to her neighbour.

Police hoped the court appearance would finally end the dispute in upmarket Memorial Ave, Burnside. But already the signs are there - literally - that the dispute is not over.

After her court appearance, the neighbour whose vehicles were damaged put up a 'Guilty' sign which faces the woman's property.

The elderly woman refused to talk to The Star this week. Her neighbour said he and his family just wanted to move on.

"We have been through hell with this woman and we would just like it to stop," he said.

The 76-year-old was found guilty in the district court. Photo / Martin Hunter

The sign would remind her she was guilty, he said.

The dispute which erupted in September happened after his daughter was seen playing on the shared driveway, he said.

"She believes that she owns the driveway, but it's a shared one," the neighbour said.

It led both parties to set up surveillance cameras aimed at each other's properties and tit for tat allegations to the police of harassment.

That included the 76-year-old alleging dog poo was thrown onto her property and water deliberately flooding her garden.

The man said water from his sprinkler had gone onto the woman's property but he denied dog poo had been thrown.

Police became involved when the woman and her neighbour laid separate complaints about each other.

Police tried to broker a truce but the complaints continued.

The feud escalated in October when the neighbour found two cars on his property had been damaged.

He reported it to the police but was told it was his word against hers.

"They (police) told me to get some (surveillance) cameras," he said.

More cars were later damaged. Footage from the surveillance camera led police to investigate and then charge the 76-year-old late last year.

Senior Sergeant Stephan McDaniel said because police had evidence of the damage, charges were laid.

"This was a bit of a tit for tat between neighbours that resulted in damage, which we had evidence on," he said.

He said in the majority of neighbour disputes police decide if it is the public's interest to spend time mediating between the two parties or leave them to work it out themselves.

- Christchurch Star